Though the United States insists that it won't take positions on South China Sea disputes, all of its actions seem to be targeting China — a naval destroyer sailing within 12 nautical miles off China's artificial islands in the Nansha (Spratly) islands is the latest example.
An Associated Press report quoted a Pentagon official as saying that "we will fly, sail, and operate anywhere in the world that international law allows."
We should give "credit" to Uncle Sam. As an unrelated party in the dispute, the country has spared no effort to create a fanfare in the South China Sea, accusing China of harming navigational freedom, though evidence has seldom been presented on how harm was done or how shipping lanes have been threatened by China's island construction, which is primarily used for the creation of two lighthouses.
China's sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters is "irrefutable," said Lu Kang, a spokesman of the foreign ministry when commenting on the incident, adding China will respond to any deliberate provocation by any country.
It is understandable for the US to be posturing as a defender of world order, as it always claimed to do so, for itself or for its allies, but sending warships and planes to the islands may have stepped out of the line. Worse still, it is counterproductive to the solution of the disputes.
Read the full story at Want China Times